State 76 – Salvage Rail Bridge

Construction, or replacement, of bridges during WWII was not without its problems. As most materials were set aside for the war effort, highway departments had to get creative. In California, one of the materials chosen was salvaged railroad rails. This style of rail was in use mostly during the mid-late 1940’s. I haven’t seen it …

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Out of the Lake: Old Highway 178 and the town of Isabella

Long before the Isabella Reservoir was built in the 1950’s, State Highway 178 passed through the Kern River Valley on an alignment much different than it is today. With the current drought, Lake Isabella is a puddle of what it used to be…but it’s amazing what the lake has hidden all these years.  The lake …

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North Burbank UP – Videos

On Tuesday, May 13, 2014, I took the opportunity to ride up to Burbank and get some videos of the North Burbank UP with my GoPro camera. Despite the extreme heat, I managed to at least get some good video. These videos show the North Burbank Underpass and ancillary structures from all directions. They were taken to show …

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Old Wabash Freeway Ramp

In the 1950’s, a section of what is now the 15 in San Diego was built. Known then as the Wabash Freeway, it ran from Harbor Blvd to 40th St in the City Heights area. Today, it is known as the 15 freeway and has been upgraded significantly. Access to the old freeway was a …

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Brea Canyon – Old Highway 57

Even in heavily built up Orange County, there can still be places where old highways can be seen. One of the best examples is located in Brea Canyon, where the Orange Freeway winds its way through open and undeveloped lands between Orange and Los Angeles Counties. Before the freeway, State 57 followed Brea Canyon Road. …

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